Maine growers urged to produce clean medical cannabis

Maine's trend toward organic fruits and vegetables has stoked an interest from medical marijuana caregivers to know more about the quality and standards of the cannabis they sell to patients.

Five growers from across Maine have been certified by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association for a year-long trial that started in August called the Certified Clean Cannabis program. It aims to grow medical marijuana to standards similar to those imposed on organic food crops, according to a Portland Press Herald story.

"We think we're way ahead of the curve," John Krueger, a MOFGA board member who helped develop the clean certification standards, told the newspaper.

However, because the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn't recognize cannabis as an agricultural crop because it's illegal under federal law, marijuana cannot be called "organic."